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The Numbers on That 35-Story Tower Planned for Weslayan and West Alabama

Here’s a better look at the 35-story designed-in-Dallas residential tower PM Realty Group is putting on the northeast corner of Weslayan and West Alabama, where the State Grille and rebel predecessor Confederate House stood until a few years ago. Inside, at last report: 250-ish fancy apartments, a 3,000-sq.-ft. fitness center, a parking garage attached at the belly, and 12,500 sq. ft. of restaurant space on a bottom floor or two. The tower is being called either 2900, 2801, or 2800 Weslayan, depending on whether you follow that sign posted on the property earlier this year, a recent correction applied to it (below), or the project’s bid documents, which went out late last month and are due soon.

48 Comment

Really? It did not look good when they built this same undulating balcony tower in Chicago, and I’m fairly certain the outcome will be no different here. In 10-15 years we will be asking ourselves ‘what were we thinking?’

Yeah, comparing a proposed tower on the corner of West Alabama @ Wesleyan across the street from the old Baker Hughes office tower and the AT&T Long Line Bldg with the Ashby Tower makes a whole lot of sense. There’s nothing remotely similar to the two.

They should build it in Dallas. The lower portion resembles a cruise ship + the bland bands resemble something the Soviets might have construed as “80s modern”. It’s an imposing, overbearing structure that lacks inspiration. Hardly worth the wait.

I quite like this, although I wish that the undulations were more pronounced so that the effect from street level, looking upward, would be more striking. …more like Aqua Tower, even if it were plagaristic.

Even still, its a nifty way to spice up an apartment highrise and is one of the most striking highrise designs to be proposed in Houston in a long time.

Wow. What an ugly,bloated whale of a structure. Totally uninspiring,being designed in Dallas.The rendering has pedestrians on the sidewalks,which is really funny-this area has never been and never will pedestrian friendly. It’s car-centric.#Miss_Msry: exactly. Who is going to widen the streets and upgrade the drainage system? The COH taxpayers-me and you!

While I want to CHEER when any hi-rise or mid-rise design breaks out something interesting to look at, this just reminds me of my vacuum hose, after years of being pulled around the house. Not a great look.

“Who is going to widen the streets and upgrade the drainage system? The COH taxpayers-me and you!”

Pretty soon the category of taxpayers is going to include the tenants of this development. They will also be paying the same tax rate as everyone else while using proportionally less services due to the centrality and density of the development.

So much of Houston’s architecture simple, square and just plain boring.

It’s because Houston is so conservative and Republican. They like it easy, cheap and as cost-effective as possible, with little or no consideration of design. Ask any architect!

In other more liberal cities, like Chicago and L.A., among many others, the architecture is much more innovative and forward-thinking because the thought process is more about what the design will offer the city and how it can enhance the area.

Look around Houston and all you see is boxes. I mean, look at the new wing of the Houston Museum of Natural Science – it’s a plain box. That could have been much more captivating! But, instead, it’s as cheap, boring and conservative as possible.

Come on, Houston. If you want to be “world-class,” then start looking the part!

There is no comparison of this development to Ashby. This is going up in a majority commercial/multifamily area and is less than a half mile from the heart of Greenway Plaza. While traffic will continue to build, this is going up on the corner of a 4+ lane street. Ashby is going up in the middle of a residential neighborhood on a two lane street.
I am just thankfull that the developers went the extra mile to include ground floor retail/resto space. The whole point behind density is to give people the option to leave their cars at home when they go out. Density without walkability=grid lock.

I agree with Dillon about the sad state of Houston architecture. This design at least would be a break from the boring cheap-as-possible boxes we’ve been getting. What I don’t like it that it also has that “80s Vegas-style” sizzle, which can be fun, but gets stale when the next design fad comes around. Realistically, I won’t be surprised that if the building actually goes up, it will be more featureless. Or just turns ugly, like the high-rise apartments on McCue.

It’s amazing how developers and investors have been so risk averse here that they put up this stuff that is so bland.

And I hope it has ornamental lighting at the top. Why don’t more buildings in Houston have that?

You can hardly see the downtown skyline at night. It’s almost invisible. You’d be lucky to see an outline of the skyscrapers.

Has no one here seen what other cities do to highlight their skyline? Including Dallas, Austin, NYC, L.A., Chicago???? Any other city lights up their skyline, which makes it feel exciting and fun, not to mention, it’s beautiful.

Houston’s is dead. No ambience at all. No energy. Surprising that we’re supposed to be the Energy Capital of the World and you can’t even see the skyline.

This tower has ruined this beautiful residential neighborhood – all those condos will be looking down into everyone’s yard – the glare from the glass will be obnoxious – it doesn’t belong at that site – sickening to see it go up there. The Black Angus was a low-key excellent restaurant that fit into the neighborhood. Do we not have any pride in keeping our nice neighborhoods – they don’t have to be turned into million dollar skyscraper units that are completely out of place in this neighborhood.

Yes is an awesome building, You just see a mock up pick. I’m working here. And I see no back yards. Only empty concrete back patios, lol. Anyways, you people in this area drive nuts. That’s the reason for the congestion! Stop slowing us down. 30 weeks of heavy noise to go.

As someone who lives and owns a condo at W Alabama and Wesleyan. Traffic has not been that bad, it was bad when they were linking in the utilities, but that is now over. As for widening the streets NOT possible. Sewer and other infrastructure tie ins have been mainly done through the Lynn Park Neighborhood. If you don’t like it, move to a city where there is zoning. 350 units is nothings the FEIN deal will be about 700+ Units by the time it is completely built out. No matter, that is the price of progress. I just wish they the city forced the developers to bury the power and telephone cables.